“The RoseBouquet”

I spent another full Saturday at my office. (I’m calling it AVA for short). Basically I was installing Mandrivia, and putting a power box from another donated computer to make a third computer workable. Neither project got finished. I’m realizing that if I hope to make old donated computers usable, I will simply have to allow time for it.

The man came on Thursday to install the lines, so I have phone (653-2417) and High Speed and wireless for the computers at the office.

Something else has developed. I talked to a couple of friends who would like to learn some computer basics, but really don’t want to give up four months to learn that. Nor do they want to learn everything I am planning to put in that block of time. Then my brother Tom called Wednesday evening and asked if I was willing to take on senior citizens. He knew some from his apartment building who would like such a course, but they also were not ready to go out every week day for four months.

In that conversation I realized that since I was not going to have a full four months to offer from January through April any more, it would make perfect sense to offer some shorter one-week, half-day courses and encourage people like these seniors to sign up for them. I can put off my internship plan until May and start that then.

Hmm! Good idea. Tom said I’d have to contact Saskatoon Housing Assoc. for permission to put up posters in the buildings that have seniors, but he thought they would go for that. So I prepared some samples, and went to track down the right person(s) on Friday to get permission. Yesterday I had a call from a man who seems to be in a place of authority, but I was to email him my poster first. I did that.

So here I am Announcing a NEW plan for a few months. I need another week or two to get four working computers set up, but then I’m going to offer 5 mornings - one week courses at $99. I’ll take only four students per week to make sure I can give them individual attention, and those signing up for the very first week, (as I expect I’ll need to iron out some kinks and unexpected things I run into), will get the course for a discount price of just $75.

They will be learning;
- the computer hardware and how to set it all up - what is everything suppose to do
- how to troubleshoot common computer problems. They will rarely need to hire a techie.
- how to explore and USE the programs on their computer - eg. scan photos, filing documents
- keyboarding skills (typing and short-cuts) - and to do backups
- how to use email effectively and safely - avoid SPAM and viruses
- how to surf the web, shop online and do research (find what you want to know)
- about Open Source/linux software, and some safe income-opportunities
- if they have a personal desire to learn something I’ll try to fit it in just for that person!
NO GAMBLING OR GAMES - only the ethical and good things to do with a computer!

The one hitch here is that the office is up a flight of narrow stairs. I am sorry for those with handicaps who will not be able to come because of that.

I’m hoping to go pick up a couple of computers in Warman this afternoon. Hopefully I can be set up and ready to start my first course as soon as I have four students lined up.

How does this affect the rest of the work I’ve promised various people? Well, somehow I’m going to cram it all into my afternoons and evenings. I’m going to have to pray for and expect miracles on a daily basis. Once I have interns I hope to share some of my workload, but with this plan I’ll be sacrificing my mornings, and squeezing the essentials, like writing this RoseBouquet to the afternoons. Maybe I’ll be able to deal with some things while my students are practicing what I teach them at 9 AM, but I shouldn’t hold my breath for that, right?

Incidentally, I’ve got my first commission check from MyPowerMall! Yes, it does pay off! Now let’s watch and see if it really doubles every month.